Overview
Do property rights matter in a civil society? Whose rights should be primary, those of a landowner or a squatter? In this video, John Stossel investigates the rise of squatter’s rights and the nightmares faced by landowners who try to reclaim their property.

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Lesson Insights

Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Other, Business, and Government
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• explain the difference between tenants and squatters;
• discuss what homeowners face in trying to remove a squatter from their property;
• analyze the implications of the government protecting squatters; and
• assess the effectiveness of strategies used in resolving squatting disputes.

Key concepts and terms covered
Squatter, Eviction, and Trespassing.

Sample discussion questions
• What does it mean to be a squatter?
• Think about something you own – a vehicle, your cellphone, a computer, anything that’s yours and matters to you. Imagine you leave it alone for 5 minutes, and when you return, someone else claims a right to it. How would you feel? What would you do?
• Do you believe squatters should have any rights to the properties they occupy? Why/Why not?
• How can homeowners protect their properties from squatters?
• What role might socioeconomic factors play in the prevalence of squatting?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 14-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.